If Sydney's rivals were not worried about them before, they should be now. Chumps seven weeks ago, the Swans are pushing for premiership favouritism after one of the most impressive performances of the season.

It may have taken until round 11 but, with the exception of possibly Port Adelaide, there is no team playing hotter football than the Swans. How they must wish it was already September because in this form they would prove incredibly difficult to beat.

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The Swans, after a record 110-point win over one of the league's modern-day heavyweights, have now beaten leading fancies Geelong, Hawthorn and Fremantle in their six-game winning streak.

It had been billed as a battle between two premiership contenders but as a contest this game was over by quarter-time and a bloodbath an hour later.

Seldom in the past eight years have the Cats been made to look as poor as they were by the rampant Swans on Thursday night.

The Cats' half-time score of 1.3 (9) was their lowest since 1977 and their final tally of 38 their worst effort in 13 years.

Having already lost to Port Adelaide and Fremantle, the Cats' premiership credentials have been significantly weakened in the past month.

Conversely, Sydney's latest success highlighted why the team which looks so good on paper is an equally daunting prospect on the field.

A team which already had a miserly defence and a star-studded midfield now has a dream forward line to finish off.

There was a cricket saying in the 1970s which suggested if Thomson doesn't get you, then Lillee will. They could say something similar about Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett. And if they don't then there's a dual Brownlow Medallist eager to finish the job.

The combination of Franklin, Tippett and Adam Goodes has graced the field together only three times but the chemistry between the trio is already evident.

They were aided by a Geelong defence missing key backman Tom Lonergan and unable to cope with an avalanche of forward thrusts by a rampant Swans midfield.

Early on it was Tippett who reigned supreme, making the most of a favourable match-up against Jared Rivers. He might have had four on the board by quarter-time though had to settle for two. He finished with five for the night, dished off several others and looms as an even more dangerous target than Franklin.

Franklin sacrificed a part of his game by dragging his opponent Harry Taylor higher up the ground but, with 23 possessions, was creative. He kicked two of his four goals in the third quarter when the Swans buried their hapless opponents.

Ominous throughout was Goodes, who must be the best third forward in the history of the game. Goodes, however, faces a nervous few days awaiting the findings of the match review panel after a clumsy high hit on Joel Selwood in the third quarter.

The Swans' dominance, however, started in the midfield where they outran and outmuscled the Cats.

But it was not their star quartet of Josh Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack and Dan Hannebery responsible for the damage but the next tier of runners such as Craig Bird, Luke Parker and Ben McGlynn.

McGlynn and Bird shut out Selwood, who, along with Steve Johnson, has carved up the Swans in recent seasons.

Johnson, too, was uncharacteristically quiet though he was not on his own on a dirty night for the Cats.

Capping off a horror night, they lost triple premiership defender Andrew Mackie to a suspected rib injury. He finished the match in the red vest after being accidentally kneed by McGlynn in the third quarter.

The Cats melted under the Swans' fierce pressure. Whenever the Cats had the ball they were swarmed upon by multiple Swans and forced into sloppy or speculative kicks forward.

Their thrusts forward usually resulted in the ball heading back over their heads with interest, usually kicked by one of Nick Malceski or Rhyce Shaw, who were deadly on the counterattack.

By game's end the Cats bore no resemblance to a team which prides itself on playing the way the game should be played.

104 comments so far

What excuses will Scott come up with this week? On paper this looked like a mismatch. Only a handful of those Geelong players would make this star studded Sydney team. However it was not the mismatch in skill that mattered but the willingness of the Swans players to work hard and run all night versus the complete lack of commitment from the Geelong side. They just did not look interested and pretty much raised the white flag at the end of the first quarter. Chris Scott is quite right to say that this team should not be compared to the all conquering team of the recent past. There is no comparison.

Commenter

Mike

Date and time

May 29, 2014, 10:09PM

as Vince Sorrenti used to say .. "I've seen it but I doooooon't believe it"

Commenter

Swans on fire

Location

Nth Sydney

Date and time

May 29, 2014, 10:51PM

I have followed the Swans since 1995 both as a member and in recent times from the couch. In their last two games they have changed from the knocked down drag em down in an arm wrestle. "Bloods Style". to a big fast free flowing team. The Bloods ethos is still there but what a difference two big fast forwards make and whoever was responsible for signing this duo, take a bow. Last night they looked like the Hawks, West Coast and Geelong teams of the last decade or so. Adam Goods well Goodsey is Goodsey and this duo may well put a couple of more years into his career.

Commenter

Rob

Location

Gymea Bay

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 4:12AM

Aaaah! The perverse benefits of an unfair cost of living allowance!

Commenter

Viv

Location

Adelaide

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 7:48AM

So they look like the teams the old Swans beat on their way to two premierships? Brilliant.

Commenter

EB

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 8:32AM

Viv - have you been out of Adelaide and seen what the cost of living in the big city is?

Commenter

Roy

Location

Northern Beaches

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 9:20AM

Viv Adelaide 9.48am. Mate Sydney is a diverse city and there is a lot to do. One of my grandsons is soccer mad but this year he added Aussie Rules to his agenda and now plays on a Sunday with the Miranda Bombers. For someone who never touched a Steeden he took to it like a duck to water However, what the AFL is up against in Sydney is he also follows the Sharks and plays Oz Tag which is based on Rugby League, Soccer and Cricket in Summer. He only played Aussie Rules because it was promoted by the AFL and a couple of Swans Games he saw last year. Having said that Rugby League he will follow as a fan because he is born 'n' bred Sharks but probably never play. In the Sutherland Shire Local Soccer is big with even Over 45 Years of Age teams playing competition football which for fitness reasons is attractive. The point I want to make is AFL has a problem in Sydney because if the Swans remain competitive they will draw crowds if they don't their financial viability will be at risk. Like it or not kids like us all like winners and at 11years of age, he is there to be won over which also requires a competitive Swans. One other point is I don't think there is room for two teams in Sydney.

Commenter

Rob

Location

Gymea Bay

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 10:33AM

fact is "What" your side has been getting higher draft picks over the last 10 yrs. We've been winning without any advantage in that time because of good management and coaching so suck it up and get a real name.

Commenter

Ross

Location

Nth Ryde

Date and time

May 30, 2014, 5:56PM

A few things I learned. 1.When you win the grand final and then still have a couple of million in the kitty to build a forward line then there's a good chance you'll be competitive. 2.I really hope the swans don't win the premiership this year. 3.I miss buddy!!